1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device for providing rapid cooling control within a cooling appliance or unit (e.g., a refrigerator or a freezer). In particular, the present invention pertains to a device to allow the user of a cooling unit to quickly cool an item (e.g., an item such as food or water for producing ice cubes) placed within the cooling unit.
2. Description of Related Art
Cooling appliances or units (e.g., refrigerators and freezers) are common household and industrial appliances used to keep food and other perishable items sufficiently cold (e.g., colder than ambient temperature or frozen) for preservation or the like. Also, cooling units are used to produce supplies of low temperature items, such as cold water, ice cubes, and the like. However, sometimes it is desirable to quickly cool (e.g., reduce below ambient temperature or freeze) an item, or to quickly replenish a supply of a low temperature, such as ice cubes.
Typically, a cooling unit has a temperature sensor positioned to sense an interior temperature and provide a temperature-indicative signal to a temperature controller of a temperature control system. In response to a sensed temperature above a preset upper threshold limit, corresponding to a user selected setting, the temperature controller activates a cooling mechanism (e.g., a compressor and evaporator arrangement) that provides cooling within the cooling unit. Once the temperature within the cooling unit falls to a predetermined lower temperature threshold, which is related to the user selected setting, the controller deactivates the cooling mechanism. Thus, the cooling mechanism (e.g., the compressor and the evaporator) operates only for a cycle period. The cooling mechanism will not again activate, for another cycle, until the temperature sensor senses temperature above the upper threshold.
When an item to be cooled (e.g., reduced below ambient temperature or frozen) is placed in such a cooling unit, the item is exposed to an environment having a temperature that falls within the predetermined range of operating temperatures defined by the user-selected setting. This may cause the cooling mechanism to be deactivated, despite a fact that the item is not yet at a desired low temperature. A large number of cooling cycles may be required to sufficiently cool the item depending on several factors including the size, temperature, and composition of the item. This may prolong the cooling process for a long period of time and increase the likelihood of thermal damage to perishable items. Also, such a protracted period to cool may cause loss of a desirable characteristic of the item (e.g., a characteristic of flavor for a food item). Furthermore, for items that must be replenished by a cooling unit on a regular basis, such as ice cubes, the time required to freeze these items may prove unsatisfactory.
To shorten the sometimes lengthy cooling periods as mentioned above, a user can select a colder setting than required for maintaining a temperature that is sufficient for everyday use. This lowers the entire range of operating temperatures for the particular cooling unit causing the cooling mechanism to operate more frequently and for longer periods of time than it would normally operate. If a user selects a setting having a lower threshold below that which the cooling system is able to reach (e.g., due to passive losses), the cooling mechanism may operate indefinitely. Furthermore, a user may not remember to change the setting back to a normal setting, resulting in the cooling unit being undesirably cold for a protracted period and/or using too much energy, leading to increased operating costs and possibly even damaging the cooling unit and/or items therein.
Accordingly, a simple and user-friendly means of temporarily reducing the temperature of a cooling unit for the fast cooling of an item contained therein without adversely impacting the normal temperature settings is desirable.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a cooling enhancement device for causing rapid cooling of an item placed within a cooling unit. The cooling enhancement device includes temperature simulating means to simulate an artificial temperature within the cooling unit. A control system of the cooling enhancement device is connected to control the operation of the temperature simulating means. A setting component of the cooling enhancement device is connected to communicate a rapid cooling setting input by a user to the control system.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a cooling enhancement device for causing rapid item cooling within a cooling unit. A heat generating element is located to provide heat energy to a temperature sensor associated with a temperature control system of the cooling unit. A setting component is connected to cause operation of the heat generating element.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a cooling enhancement device for causing rapid item cooling within a cooling unit. A heat generating element is located to provide heat energy to a temperature sensor associated with a temperature control system of the cooling unit. A control system is connected to the heat generating element to control the operation of the heat generating element. A setting component is connected to communicate a rapid cooling setting input by a user to the control system.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the setting component allows a user to set a desired cooling mode that corresponds to rapid cooling conditions and a period of time for maintaining those conditions. The setting component transmits this setting to the control system, which then operates the means for simulating an artificial temperature. The temperature simulating means causes a temperature sensor of the cooling unit to detect a higher temperature within the cooling unit than is actually present, thereby activating a temperature control system associated with the cooling unit. The control system controls the simulated temperature within the cooling unit by methods such as pulsing the operation of a resistance heater or controlling the voltage provided thereto, for example. When the period of time for maintaining the rapid cooling conditions has expired, the control system turns the means for simulating an artificial temperature off, and the cooling unit thereby resumes normal operation.